AquaTech wins First Place
STEMWA Subs in Schools • HMAS Stirling • Level 4 Large Submarine • 2025
Everything clicked on the day
Months of work and planning came together perfectly at HMAS Stirling. Our display ran smoothly, demos stayed consistent, and the judges connected with our story. Hearing First Place called out felt unreal after such a long build season.
9
Months of Work
1
Custom Stall
2
Detailed Portfolios
1st
State Finals
Clear explaining and steady demos
We focused on clear messages about our submarine’s design, build process, and testing. Judges saw how every element, from ballast modules to systems integration, fit together into one story.
Submarine progress and key modules
Across a nine month season, our team designed and built a functioning ballast pump module, advanced power processing, and produced 3D printed hull sections. The photo below captures the core submarine build, the part that made this season so rewarding.
Custom engineered stand
The stand was engineered to mirror professional trade conventions, clean, open, and inviting. We used CAD design to plan the flow of movement and showcase the submarine at the centre. The end result matched our brand nicely.
Team voices
I am extremely proud of the entire team for our performance at the 2025 Oceania Championships Competition today at HMAS Stirling. It was great to see the culmination of this entire project come together today and was extremely satisfying, especially as being the responsible one for this project. The entire team delivered when it was needed most and all their work come seamlessly together. I am very proud of our team and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity provided to us through the schools support with special thanks to Mr Maguire, Mr Rowberry & Ms Hendrickse as well as the whole StemWA Comittee. Go AquaTech!
Watching our social media, public relations and sponsor communications grow across the 2025 season has been nothing short of amazing. As Manager: Marketing and Growth, my goal was to make sure our team’s story reached beyond the college - to our sponsors and the wider community. It was about building a strong public presence, keeping everyone connected, and showing the hard work behind AquaTech. Seeing those efforts pay off at HMAS Stirling was incredibly rewarding. The trade display was buzzing, our branding looked sharp, and the team delivered perfectly on the day. I couldn’t be prouder of how everyone came together and contributed their piece to something so special. Huge thanks to our mentors, sponsors, and the whole AquaTech team for turning our vision into reality.
That’s a wrap on the 2025 StemWA Subs in Schools season! As Manager: Quality and Assurance for AquaTech, I couldn’t be prouder of the team, and what we have achieved. For competing (and winning!) against such a competitive and challenging team was truly humbling, and I think I can speak for the whole team when I say that this win was not earned easily. I’d like to thank our mentors and teachers alike, for guiding us throughout this 9 month season, and extend my unwavering gratitude towards the college, its staff and faculty, as well as the StemWA Committee. This season was challenging, enriching, and most importantly, a whole lot of fun. Here’s to a great win and even greater team!
I can’t believe the 2025 season of Subs in Schools at HMAS Stirling is over. Seeing the final build come together, has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I’m so proud of the team for pushing through, fulfilling their roles and competing this year. Whilst I believe the win is very much deserved, congratulations to the runners up. They had us awaiting the call on who won as incredibly, they created a fully functional submarine model. Thank you as well to the design teachers (Mr. Rowberry and Ms. Delfos) who ever-so graciously allowed me to pull them out of class in order to cut metal for the trade display, whilst I know it was frustrating for you, this win wouldn’t have been possible without it. Thanks so much to StemWA for the outstanding venue, competition ran smoothly and I know we all had the best time. Thank you Lachie for hassling us to get it finished, and congratulations team, for what a year it has been.
Competition at HMAS Stirling today was a truly incredible experience. It was such a rewarding feeling to watch all the hard work we had put in over the course of the season pay off and fall into place to secure first place in the Level 4 - Submarine category. I feel the team was especially strong in the trade display and the marketing areas and that our performance today was nothing short of stellar. A big congratulations to the runners up in our category as well, building a complete operational large submarine in year 9 is no small feat. Thanks so much to all of the StemWA guys that helped make this event possible as well as the teachers at school who trusted us and let Lachie take charge, I am so glad to have had this opportunity.
Thank you
Huge appreciation goes to Mr Tim Rowberry Director of Technologies, Mr Walter Maguire Technologies Teacher and Ms Nat Delfos, along with the mentors, our sponsors, the JCCA P&C Association, OLNA Support and Simone McGurk MLA along with the StemWA Committee for their help in making this possible.
